PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A high school junior is recovering from a concussion after being struck in the head with a baton by a Portsmouth student-athlete during a race in early March.
Sixteen-year-old Kaelen Tucker was running the second leg of the 4×200 relay at the Virginia High School League Championship on March 3 when another runner hit her with a baton, according to a report from ABC News.
Video footage showed the two sprinters running side-by-side as they rounded a corner, with Kaelen on the outside. Just as Kaelen began to pass, the other athlete, identified as Alaila Everett, swung her baton, striking Kaelen on the head. Kaelen is then seen immediately dropping her baton and clutching her head in pain. She was later diagnosed with a concussion.
According to Kaelen’s family, neither Alaila nor the opposing team’s coaches checked on her or reached out after the incident.
“To see that they kept running and she [did] not stop and check on my daughter… it couldn’t have been an accident,” Kaelen’s mother said during an interview with ABC News.
Vincent Pugh, a track official for the Virginia High School League, explained that Kaelen did not allow enough space between herself and Alaila, which led to the accidental hit.
“It’s the one event in indoor track where there’s the most contact, in the history of track & field,” Pugh said. “Imagine me running side by side with you… even at this point, she’s not a stride ahead of her.”
He also noted that once Alaila saw Kaelen was hurt, her immediate reaction was to reach out and help her opponent before finishing the race.
“Her immediate reaction is concern for her, not finishing the race,” said Pugh.
Kaelen’s parents said that I.C. Norcom’s athletic director and Alaila’s father called to apologize, but the athlete herself and the coach have not contacted them.
Alaila’s father, Genoah Everett, claimed the incident was accidental. He told 13News Now that Kaelen came too close to his daughter and attempted to cut her off too soon while coming around the curve, which caused Alaila to lose her balance.
He explained that his daughter was trying to maintain her balance while ensuring her baton was not knocked out of her hands.
“When the young lady cut her off, my daughter couldn’t pump her arms… no control where your arms go,” Everett said.
He also defended his daughter, saying she had done all she could to apologize publicly.
“She can only apologize on the news and she’s done it already several times, um, and they still asking for an apology, but she can’t contact the young lady. She can’t even talk to her,” he said.
Alaila, a student at I.C. Norcom High School, said her school has been supportive throughout the ordeal.
“I have plenty of people in my corner—teachers offering me a place to stay in their classroom if things get overwhelming, letting me stay in the gym, or even go to the principal’s office if it’ overwhelming,” she told ABC News. “My community knows my character… they know I’m not like that… that it was an accident.”
Her father expressed frustration over the backlash his daughter has received, particularly on social media.
“I just want to emphasize how much of a negative effect this is having on entire communities,” he said. “We have young kids trying to defend their friend against grown adults on social media. That should never be happening… Most of the people attacking my daughter—and us—are adults.”
Everett also criticized the media for spreading what he called false information without first reaching out to his family. “[They’re] talking about a minor, yet they don’t have the decency to let the parents know.”
The family said they have even received threats. “Just now, my wife received a text saying, ‘Good job raising a piece of s— human.’ Now people are calling our phones… It’s crazy,” Everett said.
“It is my due diligence to be an example. And I see the big picture, so, I’m going to stand strong and I’m gonna fight this the way I’m supposed to, or the best way I know how, but I refuse to drop down to their level,” he said. “I refuse to leave a bad example for my children. And if I’m not strong, how would I expect them to be strong?”
Portsmouth Public Schools officials released a statement saying, “The division immediately reported the incident to the Virginia High School League (VHSL), which is still investigating. We are cooperating with the VHSL in its work. The division will support and follow the ruling… upon its completed investigation.”
The Virginia High School League addressed the situation, stating, “The actions taken by the meet director to disqualify the runner were appropriate and correct. We thoroughly review every instance like this that involves player safety with the participating schools. The VHSL membership has always made it a priority to provide student-athletes with a safe environment for competition.”